Grades for Alabama-Georgia: Tide’s defensive front steals the show

Here are the top takeaways and highest-graded players from the Alabama-Georgia game:

Alabama Crimson Tide

– Other than one busted run fit that led to an 83-yard touchdown, the defensive line handled the Georgia offensive line the entire game. NT Jarran Reed continued his All-American play with a +4.6 run grade and four stops while DE A’Shawn Robinson was even better at +5.6 against the run with two stops. Throw in DE Jonathan Allen’s +2.8 pass rush grade with a hurry and two batted passes on 15 rushes and the Alabama defensive front owned the day.

– There was a collective sigh of relief when QB Jake Coker hit both of his “official” deep-ball attempts (20-plus yards in the air) for 69 yards and a touchdown. He was only 1-for-15 on such attempts coming into the game, so the big play element was a welcomed sight for Alabama’s passing attack. Coker finished at +1.7 overall and +2.4 in the passing game; he’ll need to keep that up if Alabama is going to make a run at the College Football Playoff.

– Running back Derrick Henry picked up 148 yards on his 26 carries, often taking advantage of poor run defense to get to the edge for big plays. He forced nine missed tackles and picked up 83 of his yards after contact. Henry did fumble, which knocked his grade down a peg, but he took what was given and kept the Alabama offense on schedule for much of the game.

Georgia Bulldogs

– After two strong weeks, QB Greyson Lambert had a rough outing at -5.5 overall. Aside from the ball slipping out of his hands twice for dangerous fumbles, he completed 10 of 24 passes for only 86 yards. Backup Brice Ramsey wasn’t much better (-1.9 on 17 snaps) as Georgia’s poor quarterback play gave them little chance in this game.

– Since it was the Alabama defensive line controlling the action, the Georgia offensive line was on the receiving end of that beatdown. Left tackle John Theus finished at -4.6, including -5.1 in the run game while right tackle Kolton Houston was -5.6 overall (-2.8 pass block, -2.1 run block). Of the starters, only LG Isaiah Wynn managed a positive grade at +2.3.

– Despite surrendering only 190 passing yards, the Georgia secondary had a number of breakdowns. CB Malkom Parrish finished at -3.1 in coverage while safeties Quincy Mauger (-2.2) and Dominick Sanders (-1.8) weren’t much better. Whether missing tackles or allowing Alabama receivers to get behind the defense, it was a day to forget for the Georgia secondary that posted negative grades from all five players who posted at least 30 snaps of action.